Shell.



J. F. McGILL.

SHELL.

APPLICATION FILED mac. 11. I915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1,191,713. Patented July 18, 1916.

' Jgl 1. F. McGIL'L.

SHELL.

APPLICATIQN FILED DEC. 17, 1915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'J. F. McGlLL.

SHELL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I1. 1915. 1 ,1 9 1 ,71 3. Patented Jul 1916.

\ '4 SHEETS- U 3.

1. F. Mc Gl Lb.

SHELL.

APPLICATION mz'o nzc. n. 1915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- JOHN FAUNTLEROY MCGILL, OF VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA.

SHELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented uly 18, 1916.

Application filed December 17, 1915. Serial No. 67,325.

To all u hom it may concern Be it known that I. JOHN F. MQGILL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Vallejo, in the county of Solano and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved shell of the delayed explosion type.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a shell capable of effecting the destruction, or the substantial disabling of air craft, wireless installations ashore and afloat, wire entanglements, telegraph and telephone lines, signal halyards and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shell capable of carrying a large number of chain shot, or other similar projectiles.

A further object is to so arrange the chain shot or the like that upon bursting of the shell, said shot are accurately distributed over a wide area so as to have a maximum destructive effect.

A further object is to provide a shell of the character above referred to by means of which the various shot may be directed to predetermined known parts of the beaten zone, by providing means whereby the respective shot may be delivered at different velocities. I

A further object is to provide a shell in which the shot are so arranged that upon expansion of the shell, the centrifugal force developed by rotation of the shell will project the shot ona tangent from the shell body.

A further object is to provide means whereby the shot may be caused to travel on different predetermined tangents.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is transverse sectional view on line 3-3 Fig. 2. Fig. at is a transverse sectional view on line l1 Fi 2. Fig. 5 is transverse sectional view on the line 55, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is detail view illustrating the supporting disk. Fig. '7 is a detail view of one of the supporting trays. Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the spacers. Fig. 9 is a. detail view of one of the shots. Fig. 10 is a detail view illustrating one of the auxiliary shot retaining devices. Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the loading device. Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the action of the shell when exploded. Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view, partly in section, illustrating the gas channels. Fig. 11 is a detail view of the base disk.

Referring to the drawing, 15 designates the base, 16 the nose. and 17 the shell body, all of which may be of any well known construction, the nose being provided with the usual fuse or exploding element 18. Rest ing upon the base 15, is.a locking ring formed of sections 20, each section being provided with a longitudinal ril) 21, shaped to enter a longitudinal groove :22, in the shell body, to prevent rotation of the ring. The sections are provided wit-h exterior longitudinal recesses 23, which register with corresponding recesses :21, formed in the inner face of the shell body, said recesses cooperating to form gas channels which coincide with cut away portions between the lugs 19 formed on the lower ends of the said sections 20. The base 15 is provided with a central, circular table or raised portion 26, having a groove -2T, extending transversely thereacross. The inner faces of the sections 20 are provided with longitudinal grooves 28. eight of such grooves beingillustrated in each of said sections. The number of grooves 28 may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, the number of such grooves shown in the drawing being arbitrarilv selected for illustrative purposes only. The explosive charge 29 is carried in the nose of the shell in the usual and well known manner. and a tube 18 leads from the fuse well into the bursting charge, so as to insure of an ignition of the charge near the gas channels, and t" avoid choking said channels with unburnt powder grains.

The space within the locking ring is divided into a plurality of horizontal spaces, each space being subdivided to form a plurality of chambers 30, any number of which may be employed. each space being illustrated in the drawing as divided into four chambers, which chambers. will be hereinafter referred to as shot chambers. Said chambers are formed by means of a supporting disk 34 provided with radiating arms, and a sectional structure resting upon a metal base disk 31, having a down turned projection or abutment 32, and an upstanding abutment 33, said supporting disk resting upon the circular table 26 so as to cover and closethe groove 27. Resting upon the base disk 31 is a spacer 35, preferably of approximate cross shape, the arms of which 1 are in engagement with the grooves 28, it being understood that the said arms are adapted to engage any of said grooves, whereby the radial position of said arms may be selectively varied, and rotation of the spacer prevented. The central body of said spacer is provided with vent openings 35*. Resting upon the spacer 35 is a tray 36, provided with a downwardly extended abutment 37, arranged to engage any one of the arms of the spacer 35 beneath it. The tray 36 is also provided with an upstanding abutment 38. Resting upon the first tray 36, is asecond spacer 35, rotation of which is prevented by the grooves 28, an upstanding abutment 38 also engaging one of the arms of said spacer, the abutments 37 and 38 cooperating with the arms of the spacers to prevent rotation of the trays.

. Superimposed upon 7 the last mentioned spacer are the desired number of trays 36 and spacers 35, four of each being illustrated in the drawing, thereby providing sixteen shot chambers 30. The shot comprise slugs 39 of any suitable or preferred-shape, arranged in pairs connected by chains 40, or other suitable flexible connection capable of withstanding the shocks to be imposed upon 40 them in being projected from the shell, and

in striking the target. Preferably the slugs are of such shape that they will conform to the contour of the shot chambers, and

- they are retained in position by means of tabs or ears'41, formed integral with the trays 36, said tabs or ears being bent over during the loading operation to retain the shot in position.

In order to effect the convenient loading 5040f theeshell, aaspeciala loading device' has been designed, as illustrated'in Fig. 11, but

it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular form of loading device or method of loading. The

loading device illustrated comprises a rod 42, provided with threaded portions 43 at each end, one threaded end being engaged with a suitably threaded opening in the sup- 7 r'ting disk 34, and. a corresponding openmg in a disk 44. Attached to a tubular stem 45, is a disk 44, provided with a threaded opening to engage the other threaded end of the rod 42, Sand rod being inclosed b the tubular stem 45. An intermediate dis 44 is preferably clamped between the end of the chain outside.

stem 45 and the topmost tray 36. It will be noted that the disks 44 and 44 are somewhat larger in diameter than the trays 36.

In loading the shell by means of the above described loading device, the shell body 17 is first engaged with the base 15, and the sections 20 of the locking ring are then placed in position. The lower end of the rod 42 is then engaged with the supporting disk 34 and then with disk 44, which latter disk 7. may rest upon a suitable table or other support, to maintain the rod 42 in an upright position. The base disk 31 is then placed in position upon the'supporting disk, and then rotated until the abutment 32 engages an 8i arm of the supporting disk. A spacer 35 is then placed in position and rotated on the rod 42 until one of the arms thereof ongages the abutment 38 'ot' the supporting disk. Upon the spacer is placed a tray 8,! 36, which in turn is rotated until its depending abutment engages one of the arms of the spacer beneath it. In like manner the desired nun'iber of spacers 35 and trays 36 may be alternately placed in position. 94 After the last or top tray has been placed in position the disk 44 is placed in position and the tubular stem 43') is placed over the rod 42, and the threaded ends of said rod are engaged with the disks 9% 44, 44 thereby, clamping the trays and spacers in position, between the disks 44" and 44", so that the assembled elements may be handled as a single unit. The said unit is turned over on its side, so as to be sup- 1( ported on the edges of the disks 44 and 44, and then the shot chambers 30 are loaded. The bottom series A may be loaded by first placing the chain in one of the compartments and placing the slugs 39 on top, said 1( slugs being shaped to conform to the periphery of the loading trays 36, after which the tab or car 41 opposite said slugs is turned down, to retain them in position. All of the first series A of chambers are loaded in 11 a similar manner. The second series of shot chambers B may be loaded in a similar manner. The third series of chambers C are loaded by first placing the slugs in position withthechainson the outside, and the 11 fourth series D are preferably located by placing part of the chain inside and part of In loading in the manner described for series C and D, auxiliary retaining devices 41 may be employed. It 1 will be understood that the slugs and chains may be arranged in the respective chambers in any suitable manner, the above described arrangement being merely one of many that may be employed. After the shot cham- 12 bers have been loaded the cradle disk 44 is removed, and the assembled vspacers and trays are inserted within .the locking ring, the ends of the spacers engaging the grooves 28 to prevent the parts from rotating. 1:!

hen the loaded trays rest upon the circular table 26, the rod -12 is unscrewed from disk 34, and said rod and the disks 4% and 44*, and the tubular stem 45 are withdrawn, the spacers and trays being thus left free to fly upon bursting of the shell. The nose of the shell may then be secured in position.

In Fig. 12 is diagrammatically illustrated the effect of the explosion of a shell loaded in the manner above described and containing sixteen shot chambers comprising four chambers arranged in four sets. The bursting charge contained in the nose, when ignited by the fuse, will force the gas generated, down through the gas channels formed by the recesses 23 and 2-1, on the outside of the locking ring. through the spaces 25, and then upwardly through the holes or openings 46 formed in the trays 36, and through the Kent openings in the spacers 35.

The nose, the outside of the shell and the locking ring are released upon explosion,

and are followed by the chain-shot, the trays and spacers being scattered and checked by wind pressure upon exposure. The shell is so constructed as to prevent the crushing or tangling of the chain and slugs. It will be noted that the shot chambers of series B and D are in alinement with each other, the chambers of series A being at an intermediate angle to those of B and D, and the series C being at an angle intermediate A and B. It will be evident that this arrangement may be varied at will by varying the num ber of grooves 28, and the corresponding positions of the spacers. In the arrangement illustrated, the shot of series Awill be discharged on tangents at approximately right angles to each other and at the same "elocity, and the shot of series B correspondingly projected on tangents about midway between those of series A and about the same velocity. The shot from series C is delivered on a tangent between those-of series A and B, but at a much less velocity. The shot of series D are discharged on the same tangents as series B but at less velocity, all of which will be readily understood from Fig. 10. By placing the slugs on a difi'erent radius, they are caused to travel on different tangents, and by placing the slugs at different distances from the center the velocity of delivery may be increased or decreased. It therefore becomes possible to so arrange the shot of the different series as to direct them to certain known parts of the beatenzone (shot and fragment group of the shell). For instance, the shot of series A and B will throw with the same speed, whereas series 0 and D.will deliver with less velocity, and thus fill in dead spaces tial vacuum caused by the outward rush of the gases when the shell is ruptured outside of the locking ring.

In practice the bursting charge carried in the nose of the shell is slow burning and comparatively very small. Its action is rather of a lifting nature and entirely different from the fast burning types. The nose and base are made comparatively heavy to balance the projectile and improve its ballistic qualities, the object being to make the center of form and the center of gravity of the whole shell coincide.

Having thus explained the nature ofmy invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what I claim is 1. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, means for dividing the interior of the shell body into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, and means cooperating with said dividing means to selectively vary the tangents on which the shot may be discharged.

2. An improvement in shells comprising chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, and means cooperating with said dividing means to selectively vary the tangents on which the shot may be discharged.

4. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, a locking ring inclosed therein, means cooperating with the locking ring for dividing the interior of the shell body into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, and means cooperating with said dividing means to selectively vary the tangents on which the shot may be discharged.

5. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, a locking ring formed of a plurality of sections inclosed within said shell, means cooperating with thelocking ring for dividing the interior of the shell body into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, and means cooperating with said dividing means to selectively vary the tangents on'which the shot may be discharged.

6. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, spacer members located within said body and having radiating arms dividmeans for preventing rotation of said ring,

and spacer members having radiating arms to selectively engage the locking ring to form radial shot chambers adapted to effect tangential discharge of the shot.

9. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, a plurality of superposed alternately arranged trays and spacers within said body dividing the same into radial shot chambers adapted to eifect a tangential discharge of the shot, and means for preventing relative rotation of said shell body and said spacers.

10. Animprovement in shells comprising a shell body, a plurality of superposed alternately arranged trays, and spacers within said body dividing the same into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, and means cotiperating with, said spacers to effect a selective variation of the tangents on which the shot may be discharged.

11. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, a plurality of superposed alternately arranged trays and spacers within said body dividing the same into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, and means for preventing relative rotation of said trays and said spacers.

12. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, a plurality of superposed alternately arranged trays and spacers within said body dividing the same into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, and means for preventing relative rotation of said trays and said spacers.

13. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, spacer members located within said body and having radiating arms dividing the interior ofthe shell into radial shot chambers, and a locking ring within said body provided with longitudinal groovesxto be selectively engaged by said arms.

14. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, a plurality of superposed alternately arranged trays and spacers within said body dividing the same into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, a locking ring provided spacers, and means for preventing relative rotation of the shell body and the locking rm".

1 6. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, a plurality of superposed alternately arranged trays and spacers within said body dividing the same into radial shot chambers adapted to efl'ect a tangential discharge of the shot, a locking ring having a plurality of longitudinal grooves in its inner face to be selectively engaged by said spacers, means for preventing relative rotation of the shell body and the locking ring, and means for preventing relative rotation of said trays and said spacers.

17 An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, a plurality of superposed alternately arranged trays and spacers within said body dividing the same into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, said trays having retaining members to engage the shot placed within said chambers, and means for preventing relative rotation of said shell body and said spacers. I

18. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, means for dividing the interior of the shell body into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, means whereby the tangents on which the shot are discharged may be selectively varied and shot within said chambers, each shot comprising two slugs connected by a chain. F

19. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, means for dividing the interior of the shell body into radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot, means whereby the tangents onwhich the shot are discharged may be selectively varied, and shot within said chambers, each shot comprising two slugs connected by a chain, said slugs being shaped to conform to the contour of the shot chamher in which they are retained.

20. An improvement in shells comprising a shell body, means fordividing the interior of the shell body into a. plurality of superposed series of radial shot chambers adapted to effect a tangential discharge of the shot,

means whereby the tangents on which the shot are discharged may be selectively varied, and shot within said chambers, each iaa shot comprising two slugs connected by a chain, the shot in the respective series of chambers being placed at various distances from the axis of the body. j,

21. An improvement in shells comprising a body having a nose at one end containing -an explosive charge, means for dividing the interior of said body into a plurality of radial shot chambers, and means for cona a body having a nose at one end containing veying-the explosive gases to the interior of said body at the base thereof.

22. An improvement in shells comprising abody having a nose at one end containing an explosive charge, means for dividing the interior of said body intoa plurality of radial shot chambers, gas channels leading from said nose to the base of the shell, and means for directing said gases from the base to the interior of the shell.

23. An improvement in shells comprising an explosive charge, means for dividing the interior of' said body into a plurality of radial shot chambers, means for conveying the explosive gases to the interior of said body, and means 006 crating with said dividing means to selectively vary the tangents on which the shot may be discharged.

24. An improvement in shells comprising a body having a nose at one end containin an explosive charge, a locking ringinclo within said body, means cooperating with said ring to divide the body into a plurality of radial chambers, and gas channels leading from the nose between the ring and body and discharging into the interior of the shell at the base thereof. t

25. An improvement in shells comprising a body provided with a base at one endand a nose at the other end, said nose containing an explosive charge, a locking ring having spaced apart lugs resting upon said base,

and gas channels leading from the nose, between the ring and the body of the shell, and communicating with the spaces between said lugs.

26. An improvement in shells comprising a body provided with a; base at one end and a nose at the other end, said nose containing an explosive charge, a locking ring having spaced apart lugs resting upon said base,

superposed radial chambers, said spacers engagmg'said locking ring, and gas channels leading from the nose between the locking ring and the body of the shell and discharging into the interior of the shell at the base thereof.

28. An improvement in shells comprising a body having a nose at one end containing an explosive charge, av locking rin Within said body provided with longitudinal grooves, superposed spacers and trays located within said body and forming superposed radial chambers,said spacers selectively engaging the grooves of said ring, means for preventing relative rotation of'the locking ring and shellbody, and; gas channels leading from the nosebetween the locking ring and thevbody ofthe shell and discharging into the interior of :the shell at the bottom thereof. a a 29. Animprovement in shells comprising a body having a' nose at one end containingan explosive charge, :a locking rin within said body provided with longitudinal grooves, superposed spacers and trays located within. said body and forming superposed radial' chambers, said spacers selectively engaging; the grooves ofsaid ring, means for preventingj relative rotation of the lockingrin'g; and shell body, gas channels leading from the nose between the lock ing ring and the bodyof theshell and discharging into the-interior of the shell at the bottom thereof, and means for preventing relative rotation of the spacers and trays.

30. An improvement in shells comprising a body having-a nose at one end containing an explosive charge, a locking ring within said'- body provided with longitudinal grooves, superposed, spacers and trays located within said body and forming su rposed radial=*-chambers, said spacers se ectively engaging the grooves of. said ring, means .for preventing relative rotation of the locking ring and. shell body, gas channels leading ifrom-thenose between the locking ring and-thebody of the shell and dischar into the/interior of the shell at the bottom thereof, means "for preventing relative rotation of the spacers and trays,- and means forv supporting the trays and spacers in spaced relation to the base of the shell.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN'FAUNTLEROY MoGILL.

Witnesses:

' Jonn S..Gmrmm E. C. OAK. 

